Rhino Poaching 2014

Information & discussion on the Rhino Poaching Pandemic
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Richprins
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Re: Rhino Poaching 2014

Post by Richprins »

Absolutely correct, Lis! 0*\

Thanks, H.! X#X


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H. erectus
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Re: Rhino Poaching 2014

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Oh my goodness,... if ever,...
incompetency expressed at higher level,..


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PennyinSA
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Re: Rhino Poaching 2014

Post by PennyinSA »

It also appears that papers sent to the Public Protector Thuli Madonsella show that the rhino sold to the hunting outfits were priced according to the size of their horn - so the rhino were not sold but the horn WAS!!!! Methinks there is going to be a lot a dirty laundry being aired very soon!


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Mel
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Re: Rhino Poaching 2014

Post by Mel »

PennyinSA wrote: ...the rhino sold to the hunting outfits were priced according to the size of their horn...
That's just outrageous!!! :evil:


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Re: Rhino Poaching 2014

Post by Lisbeth »

Hopefully the dirty laundry will be aired and not kept locked up....stinking :evil: We need some fresh air where Sanparks is concerned :X:


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Re: Rhino Poaching 2014

Post by RobertT »

Not sure how you can sell it by the size of horn when you haven't captured it yet. :-? -O-


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Re: Rhino Poaching 2014

Post by H. erectus »

Lisbeth wrote:We need some fresh air where Sanparks is concerned
Fresh air,....????,...Geeeezz your'e optimistic,...
All the oceans in the world cannot wash them clean,...


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Re: Rhino Poaching 2014

Post by Bushcraft »

RobertT wrote:Not sure how you can sell it by the size of horn when you haven't captured it yet. :-? -O-
Good point :-?


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Richprins
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Re: Rhino Poaching 2014

Post by Richprins »

VERY good point! ;-)

One must say, though, that the hunting farms would impossibly blast away 260 rhino ASAP...probably more trying to get good stock, as per: viewtopic.php?f=197&t=4696&start=50



I think they see it as a long term thing, with old bulls getting shot eventually. That is how game hunting concessions work? -O-


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Duke

Re: Rhino Poaching 2014

Post by Duke »

This keeps coming up - Kruger scientists apparently rubishing rhino horn treatment as a deterrent. This is the third source I am reading about this

LINK

Rhino horn plan ‘needs more work’

AT THE same time that South African organisations were applying for money from the Dutch lottery, conservationists from the Kruger National Park (KNP) were writing a paper saying the technique did not work.

This paper, by SA National Parks (SANParks) and Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife (EKZNW), titled Are Chemical Rhino Horn Infusions a Poaching Deterrent or an Unnecessary Deception?, concludes that conservationists should not use this technique when dealing with the rhino poaching threat.

In an extensive critique of this SANParks paper Lorinda Hern and Dr Charles van Niekerk from the Rhino Rescue Project (RRP) question the science used and the real reason for writing the article.

“RRP is extremely concerned that treated rhinos could be targeted in the wake of any publicity casting doubt on the effectiveness of horn infusion – whether it be based on reasonable facts or, as we believe, not,” it said.

Authors Dr Sam Ferreira, Markus Hofmeyr, Danie Pienaar and Dave Cooper cut open the horn of a rhino that had allegedly travelled many kilometres into the Kruger Park from the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, and had been poached.

Their assessment “highlighted key flaws” in the assumption that the treatment of rhino horn would lead to a decline in poaching.

“To be successful, a critical mass of the rhino horn population needs treatment, with more demanding logistical requirements when areas and population sizes increase. This imposes several logistical challenges at potentially high costs to authorities,” the paper concluded.

SANParks spokesman Reynold Thakuli said the scientific paper evaluated several assumptions, risks and feasibilities. He also said that “the effectiveness of the bluff… is inconclusive. Reduced poaching rates also happen to be associated with key arrests at the same time.”

Thakuli said two independent reviewers, unknown to the authors, reviewed the paper.

RRP said it was not just the toxins and dye contributing to devaluation, but it also had a powerful psychological and perceptual impact.
The proof of this was in the success rate of animals treated. In four years, only seven losses of treated rhinos have been reported. Both existing clients and donors to the project have confirmed their happiness in the success of the project.

“The truth is that RRP has lost the same number of animals to poachers in four years that the KNP loses over two days. For the sake of our rhinos, shouldn’t that be the proof in the pudding?” Hern said.

Wildlife vet Van Niekerk said what was more worrying for him was that the RRP was never invited to take part in the inspection of the horn or consulted when writing the paper, even though it is based on their project.

He questioned the circumstances of the horn recovery, saying it was extremely irregular for an adult bull to travel such a distance through the territory of other animals.

“It is not normal behaviour,” he said.

Hern and Van Niekerk said they had always been upfront about the experimental nature of their work, and that horn devaluation was not a guarantee against poaching.

An independent review of the paper by chemist and forensic scientist Dr Hein Strauss concluded that he would have expected some scientific evidence to corroborate a visual inspection.

“This one-sided critique of horn infusion appears to be driven by those with a protrade agenda… We have been told directly by SANParks that ‘poisoning’ horns could tarnish the reputation of South African rhino horn in the mind of end consumers,” their critique said.

RRP said the Kruger National Park indicated last year that it was opposed to the concept of horn devaluation.

They said that during a meeting at Skukuza in June last year, at which two of the authors of the article were present, KNP said it was not interested in implementing a fully funded pilot project to test the efficacy of horn devaluation in poaching hot spots on the eastern boundary.

RRP said the reasons given were the secondary economy that had mushroomed on the Mozambique border, and that KNP had a sizeable stockpile of horns that it would never be able to sell if the reputation of SA horn was tainted.

By Angelique Serrao - Angelique.serrao@inl.co.za
The Star 25/08/14 Early Edition


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